cover image FOOD AS MEDICINE: How to Use Diet, Vitamins, Juices and Herbs for a Healthier, Happier, and Longer Life

FOOD AS MEDICINE: How to Use Diet, Vitamins, Juices and Herbs for a Healthier, Happier, and Longer Life

Dharma Singh Khalsa, Dharma Singh M. D. Khalsa. Atria, $26 (368pp) ISBN 978-0-7434-4226-8

The author, a physician and a yogi, follows up on his Meditation as Medicine with this guide to nutritional therapy. Together with drinking recommended juices and taking vitamins and herbs, this diet, according to Khalsa, will lead to a healthier, disease-free life. He bases his program on the seven principles of yoga nutritional therapy: body detoxification; the use of organic products; elimination of genetically engineered foods; eating only clean protein (e.g., fish, soy, beans, legumes); fresh juices and supplements; cooking consciously and eating mindfully; and a complete transition to a yoga nutrition therapy diet. Fans of Andrew Weil (Eating Well for Optimum Health) and Deepak Chopra (How to Know God) will appreciate the author's combination of spirituality and diet. Khalsa offers a low-fat diet that is rich in grains, organic fruits and vegetables and non-meat protein. A variety of useful recipes with these components are included here as well as suggestions for maintaining peaceful meal times and a spiritually balanced life. Although this particular nutritional program should improve physical well-being, he also maintains that his nutritional plan can reverse many serious diseases. Interestingly enough, Khalsa is not opposed to hormone replacement therapy for specific conditions and uses it in his practice. (Feb.)